Enterprise femtocell signaling

Abstract

A mobile device sends a request for a unique wireless network session identifier and receives, based on the request, the unique wireless network session identifier. The mobile device determines whether the unique wireless network session identifier includes a femtocell identifier. The mobile device applies one set of configuration settings when the unique wireless network session identifier includes the femtocell identifier, and applies a different set of configuration settings when the unique wireless network session identifier does not include the femtocell identifier.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving, by a mobile device, first configuration settings for the mobile device to conduct first data transfers via a macro cell base station and second configuration settings for the mobile device to conduct second data transfers via a femtocell,
 the first configuration settings being different from the second configuration settings, 
 the first configuration settings including:
 one or more first settings for first particular data transfers, of the first data transfers, initiated by a user, and 
 one or more second settings for second particular data transfers, of the first data transfers, initiated by an application, 
 
 the one or more second settings being different from the one or more first settings, and 
 the first configuration settings and the second configuration settings varying based on plan information; 
 
 providing, by the mobile device, a unicast access terminal identifier (UATI) request; 
 receiving, by the mobile device, a UATI based on the UATI request; 
 determining, by the mobile device, whether the UATI includes a femtocell identifier that indicates that the mobile device is connected to the femtocell; and 
 applying, by the mobile device and based on determining whether the UATI includes the femtocell identifier, one or more of the first configuration settings or one or more of the second configuration settings. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , where the UATI request is sent to one of:
 the macro cell base station, or 
 the femtocell. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , where the UATI includes dedicated femtocell indicator bits. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , where the dedicated femtocell indicator bits include a two-bit pattern associated with a plurality of femtocells within a network that includes the femtocell. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , where applying the second configuration settings for data transfers via the femtocell includes one or more of:
 providing, for presentation on a display of the mobile device, a femtocell use indicator; 
 providing a notification of a pricing plan associated with data transfers via the femtocell; or 
 providing a notification of pricing associated with a particular data transfer session via the femtocell. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , where applying the first configuration settings for data transfers via the macro cell base station includes one or more of:
 removing, from a display of the mobile device, a femtocell use indicator; 
 providing a notification of a pricing plan associated with data transfers via the macro cell base station; 
 providing a notification of pricing associated with a particular data transfer session via the macro cell base station; or 
 restricting the particular data transfer session via the macro cell base station. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from an account server, an account profile, associated with the mobile device, that identifies a pricing plan associated with data transfers via the macro cell base station and a pricing plan associated with data transfers via the femtocell, and 
 presenting information based on the account profile. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , where the macro cell base station and the femtocell are part of an Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) network. 
     
     
       9. A mobile device comprising:
 a processor, coupled to a memory, to:
 receive a first set of configuration settings that are to be applied by the mobile device to conduct first data transfers when the mobile device is connected to a macro cell base station and a second set of configuration settings that are to be applied by the mobile device to conduct second data transfers when the mobile device is connected to a femtocell,
 the first set of configuration settings being different from the second set of configuration settings, 
 the first set of configuration settings including:
 one or more first settings for first particular data transfers, of the first data transfers, initiated by a user, and 
 one or more second settings for second particular data transfers, of the first data transfers, initiated by an application, 
 
 the one or more second settings being different from the one or more first settings, and 
 the first set of configuration settings and the second set of configuration settings varying based on plan information; 
 
 send a request for a unique wireless network session identifier; 
 receive, based on the request, the unique wireless network session identifier; 
 determine whether the unique wireless network session identifier includes a femtocell identifier that indicates that the mobile device is connected to the femtocell; and 
 apply, based on determining whether the unique wireless network session identifier includes the femtocell identifier, one or more of the first set of configuration settings or one or more of the second set of configuration settings. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The mobile device of  claim 9 , where the first set of configuration settings and the second set of configuration settings are based on input provided by a user of the mobile device. 
     
     
       11. The mobile device of  claim 9 , where the request for the unique wireless network session identifier is sent to one of:
 the macro cell base station, or 
 the femtocell. 
 
     
     
       12. The mobile device of  claim 9 , where the mobile device includes one or more of:
 a radiotelephone, 
 a personal communications system (PCS) terminal, 
 a personal digital assistant (PDA), 
 a wireless device, 
 a smart phone, 
 a laptop computer, or 
 a global positioning system (GPS) device. 
 
     
     
       13. The mobile device of  claim 9 , where the macro cell base station and the femtocell are part of an Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) network. 
     
     
       14. The mobile device of  claim 9 , where the unique wireless network session identifier includes dedicated femtocell indicator bits. 
     
     
       15. The mobile device of  claim 14 , where the dedicated femtocell indicator bits include a two-bit pattern associated with a plurality of femtocells within a network that includes the femtocell. 
     
     
       16. The mobile device of  claim 9 , where the first set of configuration settings includes presenting, on a display of the mobile device, a femtocell use indicator that indicates, to a user of the mobile device, that the mobile device is connected to a wireless network via the femtocell. 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:
 one or more instructions which, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, cause the processor to:
 receive a first set of configuration settings that are to be applied by the mobile device to conduct first data transfers when the mobile device is connected to a macro base station and a second set of configuration settings that are to be applied by the mobile device to conduct second data transfers when the mobile device is connected to a femtocell,
 the first set of configuration settings being different from the second set of configuration settings, 
 the first set of configuration settings including:
 one or more first settings for first particular data transfers, of the first data transfers, initiated by a user, and 
 one or more second settings for second particular data transfers, of the first data transfers, initiated by an application, 
 
 the one or more second settings being different from the one or more first settings, and 
 the first set of configuration settings and the second set of configuration settings varying based on plan information; 
 
 receive a particular identifier; 
 determine that the particular identifier includes a femtocell identifier that indicates that the mobile device is connected to the femtocell; and 
 apply, based on determining whether the particular identifier includes the femtocell identifier, one or more of the first set of configuration settings or one or more of the second set of configuration settings. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , where the femtocell identifier includes a two-bit pattern associated with a plurality of femtocells that include the femtocell. 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 one or more instructions to:
 provide, for presentation and after determining that the particular identifier includes the femtocell identifier, information regarding pricing changes based on a change from the first data transfers via the macro base station to the second data transfers via the femtocell. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 17 , where the particular identifier is a unicast access terminal identifier (UATI).